System, controller, computer readable memory, and method for precise on-line control of heat transfer in a food preparation process

Abstract

A food preparation system, a controller, a computer readable memory, and a method for providing precise on-line control of a heat transfer process on a food item is disclosed. The food preparation system comprises a heating and/or cooling chamber, a sensor, and a controller. The chamber is configured to transfer heat to or from the food item during a phase of the heat transfer process. The sensor is configured to sense an actual temperature in the heating and/or cooling chamber at each real time epoch of the phase. The controller is configured to control the heating and/or cooling chamber according to a scheduled time-temperature profile over the phase. It is also configured to, at each real time epoch of the phase, simulate an internal temperature in the food item based on the sensed actual temperature at that real time epoch. It is further configured to terminate the phase when the simulated internal temperature at a particular real time epoch reaches a target internal temperature.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A method for precisely performing a heat-transfer process on a food item, the method comprising the steps of: 
       transferring heat to or from the food item in a chamber during the heat-transfer process;  
       sensing actual temperatures in the chamber during the heat-transfer process;  
       adjusting the sensed actual temperature according to a model of the chamber; and  
       controlling the heat transferring step based on the adjusted sensed actual temperatures and according to a scheduled time-temperature profile, the scheduled time-temperature profile comprising time-temperature steps.  
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1  wherein the time-temperature steps comprise decreasing time-temperature steps. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2  wherein 
       the time-temperature steps comprise only three decreasing time-temperature steps over a phase of the heat-transfer process.  
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3  wherein 
       the food item comprises a tuna fish,  
       the heat-transfer process comprises a tuna fish pre-cooking process,  
       the phase comprises a heating phase, and  
       the simulated internal temperature at each real time epoch is for the backbone of the tuna fish.  
     
     
       5. A controller for controlling a food-preparation system, the controller comprising: 
       programmable control circuitry;  
       the computer-readable memory of  claim 1  communicatively coupled to the programmable control circuitry.  
     
     
       6. The controller of  claim 5  wherein the time-temperature steps comprise decreasing time-temperature steps. 
     
     
       7. The controller of  claim 6  wherein 
       the time-temperature steps comprise only three decreasing time-temperature steps over a phase of the heat-transfer process.  
     
     
       8. The controller of  claim 7  wherein 
       the food item comprises a tuna fish,  
       the heat-transfer process comprises a tuna fish pre-cooking process,  
       the phase comprises a heating phase, and  
       the simulated internal temperature at each real time epoch is for the backbone of the tuna fish.  
     
     
       9. A food preparation system for performing a heat-transfer process on a food item, the food preparation system comprising: 
       a chamber configured to transfer heat to or from the food item;  
       a sensor configured to sense actual temperatures in the chamber during the heat-transfer process; and  
       the controller of  claim 5 .  
     
     
       10. The food preparation system of  claim 9  wherein the time-temperature steps comprise decreasing time-temperature steps. 
     
     
       11. The food preparation system of  claim 10  wherein 
       the time-temperature steps comprise only three decreasing time-temperature steps over a phase of the heat-transfer process.  
     
     
       12. The food preparation system of  claim 11  wherein 
       the food item comprises a tuna fish,  
       the heat-transfer process comprises a tuna fish pre-cooking process,  
       the phase comprises a heating phase, and  
       the simulated internal temperature at each real time epoch is for the backbone of the tuna fish.  
     
     
       13. A computer-readable memory for causing a controller to perform a heat-transfer process on a food item by 
       transferring heat to or from the food item in a chamber during the heat-transfer process;  
       sensing actual temperatures in the chamber during the heat-transfer process;  
       adjusting the sensed actual temperature according to a model of the chamber; and  
       controlling the heat transferring step based on the adjusted sensed actual temperatures and according to a scheduled time-temperature profile, the scheduled time-temperature profile comprising time-temperature steps.  
     
     
       14. The computer readable memory of  claim 13  wherein the time-temperature steps comprise decreasing time-temperature steps. 
     
     
       15. The computer readable memory of  claim 14  wherein 
       the time-temperature steps comprise only three decreasing time-temperature steps over a phase of the heat-transfer process.  
     
     
       16. The computer readable memory of  claim 15  wherein 
       the food item comprises a tuna fish,  
       the heat-transfer process comprises a tuna fish pre-cooking process,  
       the phase comprises a heating phase, and  
       the simulated internal temperature at each real time epoch is for the backbone of the tuna fish.